Master star cutter



June 22, 1954 D. s. TIPPLE 2,681,506

MASTER STAR czmsn Filed June 9, 1951 Patented June 22, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to hand cutters and the like, and particularly to cutters adapted for use in cutting more or less flexible or even stiff material of non-metallic character.

The main object of my invention is to provide a hand cutter which has at least two cutting elements serving different purposes, so that only one cutter will be necessary for a particular job, with consequent saving of time and labor.

Another object is to have such a cutter provided with a stationary cutter for roofing and a rotary cutter for trimming it.

A further object of the invetnion is to have a hand cutter with the stationary cutter forming a master cutter for cutting roofing generally, such as strips of roll roofing, composition shingles, as well as wall board, plaster board and linoleum, independently of the use of the star cutter element.

It is likewise an object to have the star cutter element adapted to out along valleys in such manner as to prevent cutting through the roofing into the valleys and thus damaging the latter.

An overall object is, of course to provide a cutter of the character indicated which is so useful in an all around manner that it will save time, effort and space, and thus be an economical tool that contributes materially to the earning power of an operator.

Other objects and the advantages of the invention and its adoption in actual practice will appear in further detail as the specification proceeds.

In order to facilitate ready comprehension of this invention for a proper appreciation of the salient features thereof, the invention is illustrated on the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a master star hand cutter made according to the invention and embodying the same in a practical form;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the tool shown in Figure l as seen from above;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the same tool as seen from the rear in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the star cutter element of the tool of Figures 1 to 3;

Figure 5 is a similar front elevation of the master cutter element alone of the same tool of said Figures 1 to 3.

Throughout the views, the same reference numerals indicate the same or like parts and features.

When roofers and other skilled artisans and operators lay roofing, linoleum, carpets, or even '2 apply wall board and plaster board, it is obvious that considerable cutting of material must be done, because a certain amount of fitting and trimming is naturally unavoidable. For such purposes, various kinds and forms of knives and cutters are frequently used, and this can not make for economy or saving of time or space, for each different cutter has to have its own place among the operators tools, and time is lost in looking among the tools for a particular knife or cutter.

Upon considering this problem, it has occurred to me that a special all around general utility knife or cutter should be easily available to an operator that can be used for the various purposes outlined above, without the necessity of changing from one cutting tool to another and thus wasting time and effort. As a result of such consideration, I have succeeded in producing a master star cutter of special type capable of serving several offices in the hands of a skilled artisan, as will now be set forth in detail.

Hence, in the practice of my invention, and referring again to the drawing, the novel tool under consideration primarily consists of a metal blade 6 forming, as it were the main skeleton of the tool, generally indicated at l, and upon one end, two handle portions 8, 8 are secured by a pair of screws or rivets 9, 9 to form the handle proper indicated at 10 of the tool. Upon the other end, which forms the forward end is secured a stationary master cutter element H that is outwardly and forwardly inclined with the first or forward edge l2 unsharpened, but the inclined side edge l3 forming a cutting edge. Two or more screws or rivets [4, I4 serve to hold the cutter element II to the supporting blade 6 so securely that the tool may be drawn by the handle and the edge 13 of cutter caused to sever whatever material is to be cut thereby, such as sheet roofing, tar paper, linoleum, carpeting, etc., or even plaster board or wall board.

However, the mentioned cutter serves well for a variety of uses, but the tool also includes a further cutter element of quite different character for other purposes, namely a rotary star cutter element l5 mounted on a pivot pin IS on the supporting blade 6. The star cutter has four projecting blade elements l1, ll, etc., each having a blunt rear edge 18 and an opposite cutting edge l9 individually adapted to out only to a limited depth in any given material when handle I0 is drawn rearwardly by hand. If desired, the star cutter may thus cut and simultaneously rotate, but a special manner of operation is also possible, as will now be explained. It is to be noted that the blunt edge [8 of any one of the projecting blade elements I1 is adapted to abut the stopping edge 20 on blade or cutter element II when the pivot pin IB is sufficiently tight to hold the star cutter close to blade 6, and thus will retain the same cutter stationary while only one cutting edge is actually eifects the cutting of the material. On the other hand, when the pivot pin [6 is more or less free so that the star cutter may ride over the stopping edge 20 of cutter H, the star may rotate to different positions during use and may then be rotated to any other position in which another blunt edge is thereon abuts the stopping edge 20 on cutter Ii.

In any event, whether the rotation of star cutter I5 is an active performance during use and operation, or merely an occasional adjustment to a new cutting position, this star cutter is adapted to out along valleys on a roof withoutcutting through and damaging the roofing material itself. Other uses and forms of utility are readily suggested by the cutter as a whole in the hands of the skilled artisan, and it is thus possible to do all cutting with the one tool without resort to several cutters jumbled with other tools and articles in a tool box.

In order to provide optional adjustments of the star cutter l5, the pivot pin it may be an adjustable machine screw or bolt, if desired, such modification being obvious upon mere mention thereof, for this would allow tightening of the star cutter in any attained position, while also allowing loosening of the cutter for more or less free rotation.

From the foregoing, it is evident that an all around special hand cutter of wide application has been shown and described that is capable of such general'and specific uses that it alone is sufficient to take care of many kinds of cutting without the use of other cutters, with resulting saving of time and eifort.

Manifestly, variations may be resorted to and parts and features may be modified or used without others within the scope of the appended claim.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim:

A hand operated cutter including an elongated handle, a substantially fiat supporting plate fixed to the handle and extending longitudinally from one end thereof, the supporting plate having two opposite side edges and terminating in a transverse end, a cutting element mounted on the supporting plate having a plurality of radial arms projecting integrally therefrom at different angles to form a star shaped cutter, a pivot mounting for said star shaped cutter upon said plate, each radial arm having a cutting edge and an opposite blunt edge, and a stop fixed upon said supporting plate in efiective position to abut the blunt edge of any one of said radial arrns'and thereby determine a projecting position of another radial arm transversely out from one side edge of said supporting plate.

7 References Cited in the me of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 257,289 Carlton et a1 May 2, 1882 1,038,448 Scioneaux Sept. 10, 1912 1,068,731 Blum July 29, 1913 1,550,342 Cogley H-. Aug. 18, 1925 7 1,591,031 Fitch July 6, 1926 1,813,498 Kosunen July 7, 1931 2,028,784 Jennett Jan. 28, 1936 

